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“Okay?” I ask since she didn’t answer.
She nods. “’Kay.”
“Say goodbye to Mommy.”
She walks over to Palmer and hugs her leg.
“I’ll bring her home after.”
“Does that mean you’re free?” Matt asks Palmer.
“Um…” she says, and I’m surprised because she rarely speaks out loud around people she’s not close to.
“I thought the book was pouring out of you. You should go write,” I say.
Matt gives me a look as though I’m the worst wingman ever. “One drink in the lodge.”
She looks at me as if she needs permission.
I hold up my hands. “Don’t look at me. Your conscience will make the decision.”
She rolls her eyes and turns to Matt, nodding. “Sure.”
I have no idea why it irritates me so much that she feels comfortable enough to speak out loud with him.
“Great. Let me lock up my equipment, and I’ll meet you in the lodge.” He turns back to me. “Have fun shredding.”
Matt holds his hand out for Adley to give him a high five, but she curls into me more as if she doesn’t remember him from last night. Her snubbing him shouldn’t make me as happy as it does.
“Have fun, you two. We’re out.” I pick up Adley’s board and mine.
We make our way to the bunny hill. One day soon, I want to get Adley up on one of the bigger hills just to test her out. She’s capable. Most people think it’s crazy to start a kid snowboarding so young, but most little ones are actually really good at it. And believe it or not, in some ways, it’s way easier than teaching an adult beginner.
As we get to the top of the bunny hill, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I sit Adley down on the ground, her board strapped to her feet, and take off my gloves to see who it is.
Theresa: I want to make last night up to you. I’m sorry for the way I acted.
My head rocks back. I don’t really want to get into this right now.
My gaze goes to the bottom of the hill where I can see the lodge entrance, and sure enough, Matt is walking through the doors.
Me: No apologies. How about we do movie night tonight?
Theresa: Can we do it at my place?
Me: Sure, but I’ll have to leave early because it’s my turn to take Adley to preschool in the morning.
The three dots appear then disappear. I wait a few minutes but assume she got distracted by her classroom of students or another teacher. I pocket the phone, get Adley up on her feet, and we snowboard down the bunny hill.
As I figured, after a few runs, Adley’s excited and doesn’t want to stop, so we continue until the lights turn on.
“Hot chocolate?” I ask after we finish the last run of the day.
She claps her mittens together. “Yes!”
I walk to the lodge and put our boards on the outside storage rack, thinking it won’t take too long. As soon as I carry Adley inside, I hear the giggle that’s been drilled into my head for years, and I turn toward the big leather chairs by the fire.
“Mommy!” Adley points at where Palmer and Matt are sitting, each having a drink and what looks like appetizers.
I lower Adley to the floor, and she runs over to Palmer, climbing into the seat with her, eager to tell her how well she did on the slopes. Matt turns to me. I nod and head to the bar to get our hot cocoa, then I join them, interrupting their time together. Oops.
Yeah, I really need to address whatever is going on inside me every time I see them alone together. But I’m just not ready yet.
